Not told as a separate history, but as a part of the story we all know. Not at the margins, but at the very center, the protagonists of the drama. And not just because they are black, or because they are women, but because they are part of the American epic.
-- Narrator (Prologue)

Importance: This is Shetterly’s explanation of why she felt it was important to write this book. She wanted to recognize the black women who worked in the early days of aeronautical research and space flight for their talent, not just because they were black women. She wanted readers to understand the importance of their contribution to science and the difficulties they overcame to be a part of the world of science and mathematics.

With men being absorbed into the military services, with women already in demand by eager employers, the labor market was as exhausted as the war workers...
-- Narrator (chapter 1)